Nostalgia & History > WAG Wednesday: Posing the Cyrus K Holliday

I didn’t get a chance to confer with Art about his Pop’s nifty image here. So I don’t know what the occasion was back on this beautiful day in March of 1964. I do know I was 8 years old and that much of the country was still in shock from the Beatles’ having invaded America via CBS’ Ed Sullivan Show a scant month earlier. When Bill took this shot those 4 “Long-haired Lads from Liverpool” were sitting in Billboard’s #1 slot with a tune you may have heard of: I Want to Hold Your Hand. It was their very 1st American #1.

Even so I don’t imagine Bill became a Beatles fan. And this 8 year old future music nut/college bar DJ wouldn’t meet him for another almost 15 years. In the late 70s ~ early 80s I don’t recall Bill & I ever talked about music during visits while I was picking through his slide collection for duplication candidates. All I can remember talking about with this widely esteemed railfan was our beloved Santa Fe. And believe me, I was ALL ears! Cherished memories, indeed…

1. AT&SF #1, the “Cyrus K Holliday” sits outside the main Topeka Shops complex in Topeka, KS on March 6, 1964.
Photo by William A. Gibson (WAG) Sr.

Thanks for looking back!
Lance Garrels (santafe199)
Art Gibson (wag216)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/22 23:41 by santafe199.

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.... and no people looking it over in the shot!! Clean history!

First-class photo. I can picture "Taggers" drooling over those freshly painted passenger cars!
Bob

Where is the engine and cars today? Was any of this saved? Great photo!

PennsyE6 Wrote:
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> Where is the engine and cars today? Was any of
> this saved? Great photo!

The entire train was moved to the Kansas Historical Museum on the west side of Topeka, north of I-70. It was restored to nearly "as delivered" historical accuracy, and is on permanent display inside the museum

Do you suppose a stencil was used for that logo on the stack?

I was a Carman at Topeka from 2-'69 through the late 70's. During that time period, I watched them paint that logo. I remember painters hanging from a scaffold, but I don't think they used a stencil. I could be wrong, maybe just didn't see it on the right day. I took a while. By the way, I enjoyed a cab ride on the old CK Holliday when I was a kid, from Pauline to Topeka. A case of being in the right place, at the right time, with the right Trainmaster.

A scanned photo from my friend Ron Dean, of the move to the Kansas State Historical Society's new building on the West side of Topeka. Temporary circus ramp built just South of 10th St. to a low boy truck trailer.

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That's Jerry Poe in the brown jacket. I worked with him when he was a Carman and a foreman. I think he died a few years ago.

The book Santa Fe Locomotive 132 shows the Cyrus K's next appearance was in Oklahoma City, OK on March 11, 1964 for a "Main Street USA" exhibit, so the engine and cars were probably about to ship-out for that. The engine was still serviceable, but was not fired up for the event. She would steam for the last time on April 22, 1964.